


see you laughing

by okamiwind



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1980s, Fluff, M/M, Pop Star and Manager, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:22:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24490486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/okamiwind/pseuds/okamiwind
Summary: Baekhyun can be difficult to handle, but Kyungsoo is good at his job.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Do Kyungsoo | D.O
Comments: 29
Kudos: 140





	see you laughing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chansuk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chansuk/gifts).



The year is 1987, Baekhyun is twenty-four years old, and already, people call him an icon. 

“That’s because I am an icon,” Baekhyun says, and he tears off his bright pink track jacket. “See, tomorrow morning, everyone is going to be wearing pink.” 

“Isn’t everyone already wearing pink?” 

He gestures to Kyungsoo, dressed in all black. “You’re not.” 

“Well, I don’t want to look ridiculous,” Kyungsoo smiles. 

“You don’t know fashion trends, do you?” Baekhyun asks, raising a brow. 

“No, and you’re an aesthetic genius,” Kyungsoo says, and he gestures to the vanity. “Water.” 

“I’m getting to it, I’m getting to it,” Baekhyun says, and there is a very pretty line of sweat along his forehead. He brushes it away with a casual hand. “What did you think of the show?” 

“Drink some water, and I’ll let you know.” 

They stare at each other for several quiet moments, and Baekhyun’s face is stony hard. Kyungsoo does not relent, doesn’t even let his facial features shift. It is ridiculous, but they are ridiculous, so it is fitting. Appropriate. 

“Fine, fine,” Baekhyun breaks, splitting into that million-dollar megawatt smile that everyone screams for. He turns, grabs his water from the vanity, and he kicks his legs up onto the coffee table as he sips from his cup. He _ahh_ ’s dramatically. “So, what did you think?” 

“You were a little pitchy,” Kyungsoo says. 

“Really?” 

“Finish the water,” Kyungsoo says. “You’re out of breath.” 

“Well, you take my breath away, baby,” Baekhyun smiles, and he takes another sip from his water cup, throat rolling. “God. Water is delicious.” 

“You’re dehydrated,” Kyungsoo says. “I’m in charge of making sure you don’t faint as soon as we get outside.” 

“No after party?” Baekhyun pouts. “I don’t get to do anything fun.” 

“I thought performing for thousands of people, being richer than God, and being a so-called _icon_ —”

“ _So-called_?” 

“—was the dream?” 

“It is still the dream,” Baekhyun says, and he crushes what’s left of the water, throwing the plastic to Kyungsoo. “I am allowed to dream big. I am allowed to dream diversely.” 

“What kind of diverse dream are you dreaming?” Kyungsoo asks. “What will I have to get for you and how much will it cost?” 

“A very big bottle of champagne and approximately four pizzas with various meat and vegetable toppings,” Baekhyun says. “If you expect me to sit in the hotel room, you will also need to get me multiple boxes of condoms and maybe poppers as well.” 

Kyungsoo doesn’t want to let Baekhyun know, but his stomach pulls with arousal at the suggestion. In the end, it doesn’t matter. They spend all their time together, and Baekhyun knows Kyungsoo better than Kyungsoo knows himself. He can read the biggest things from the smallest actions, which is why Baekhyun’s face spreads into a wry little grin. 

“Ah, I see, you’re trying to get some,” Baekhyun asks. “That’s why you won’t let me go party, right?” 

“Sure,” Kyungsoo says. “Not that I wanna protect your image, not that I care about your health and safety.” 

“I always knew it,” Baekhyun says, and he leans back in his chair. Sighs. “God, actually… I’m fucking dying of thirst.” 

Kyungsoo shakes his head. “Be right back, diva.” 

“Stop calling me that,” Baekhyun calls, but Kyungsoo is already out of the dressing room, fetching more water for the diva himself.  
  


♂

In all honesty, Kyungsoo wanted very little to do with Baekhyun when he was first offered the position. Managing a pop-star’s day to day life was pretty high on his list of _Will Never Do_ ’s, but money is the ultimate bargaining chip, and Kyungsoo fell once the salary raised. He had no idea why they wanted him so badly, why it was important that _he_ be the one looking after Baekhyun.

Then, he met Baekhyun, and all of his wildest worries, along with his wildest dreams, came true.

Baekhyun was loud, vocally and visually. He talked about anything and everything, joked and laughed, recited his anecdotes as though he practiced them in the mirror. He wore insane makeup, streaks of purple and orange and yellow across his face, glitter and gold. He was always eager to make his thoughts known. Always excited to jump in. 

But, as Kyungsoo found out, Baekhyun was also keenly aware of his impact, kept an eye out on moods and worked to keep them high. He was not only the face, the voice, the brand, but he was the energy and the spirit too. The charisma. He kept things light and happy on purpose. He was as sensitive as any person Kyungsoo had ever known. Smart, too. 

Baekhyun always tells him that he fell in love at first sight, but Kyungsoo fell in love with Baekhyun slowly, over time. They grew together in ways that Kyungsoo still can’t seem to wrap his head around, their vines so tangled together it seems nearly impossible to separate them now. 

Their first kiss was after a show, and Kyungsoo assumed it was a simple rush of adrenaline. After big shows, after performances that he feels are _especially_ special, Baekhyun tends towards absurdity, so it wouldn’t have been out of the question that the smacking kiss, Kyungsoo’s eyes wide open, was just another way to celebrate. 

He didn’t bring it up, certainly didn’t think anything more of it. He would bring it to his grave, or at the very least bring it to his death bed, telling whoever was there _The biggest superstar of all time, the most talented man the world’s ever known… he kissed me once._

But then Baekhyun found him in a quiet moment on a tour bus, nothing but the sounds of the road around them. Peter Gabriel was singing softly, and Baekhyun leaned over the small table, and he pressed his mouth to Kyungsoo’s. It was sweeter than the first, softer, and Kyungsoo had time to close his eyes and lean in, say _Yes, I want this too._

From then on, it was easy, expected. They fit together in the strangest, loveliest way, and Kyungsoo almost can’t remember why he didn’t want to work for Baekhyun in the first place. 

“You thought I was a spoiled little rich kid,” Baekhyun says drunkenly, sipping straight from the bottle of champagne, normal-sized but still perfectly capable of getting the lightweight fucked up. 

“And I was right,” Kyungsoo smiles. 

“I only got spoiled after I had already worked my ass off,” Baekhyun says. “After I’d put in the _effort_.” 

“You’re an inspiration to us all.” 

Baekhyun sighs, and he flops against another hotel bed, the latest of many, many, and Kyungsoo studies his form, the sharpness of his shoulders and the delicate swell by his hips. 

“You think I’m pretty,” Baekhyun comments. “That must fuckin’ _kill you_.” 

“I don’t hate myself nearly as much as you seem to think I do,” Kyungsoo smiles. “I like liking you.” 

Baekhyun’s face melts. “Really?” 

“You’re very easy,” Kyungsoo informs him. 

Baekhyun reaches back, and he throws one of the pillows at Kyungsoo. Well, _at_ Kyungsoo is a generous descriptor. Kyungsoo is forced to assume that he meant to throw it at him, missing wildly in his attempt. 

“You’re cute, you know that?” Kyungsoo says, and he reaches over, takes the empty bottle of champagne from Baekhyun’s hands. 

“You think so?” 

“Yeah, I do,” Kyungsoo says. “You should wash your makeup off before bed.” 

“I’m so tired,” Baekhyun comments. “And I’m so drunk. And full.” 

“Of shit.” 

“You’re so mean to me.” 

“Okay, at least take it off with a baby wipe,” Kyungsoo says, and he goes to his bag and gets them. He sits at Baekhyun’s side, gently pushing the wipes into his hands, but Baekhyun frowns. “What?” 

“Do it for me,” Baekhyun says. 

“They don’t pay me enough for this.” 

“This isn’t because you’re getting money,” Baekhyun says. “You’ll do it because you love me.” 

Kyungsoo takes one of the wipes out of the pack, and he sweeps it across Baekhyun’s face gently, removing some of the paint. Baekhyun’s eyes are closed, sleepy and sweet, and Kyungsoo smiles down at him as he wipes him clean, removing all the artifice, all the persona. He looks young then, stripped bare. He _is_ young, Kyungsoo reminds himself. They both are. They have so much ahead of them if they can just keep things together. 

“Are you done?” Baekhyun smiles, eyes still slipped shut. 

“This mascara isn’t gonna come off unless I rub hard,” Kyungsoo tells him. 

“Don’t hurt me,” Baekhyun whispers. 

_Never_ , Kyungsoo thinks, and he tucks Baekhyun into bed, curling up beside him only moments later.  
  


♂

He wakes Baekhyun up ten minutes before the alarm is set to go off because he knows that it is nearly impossible for him to get up and get going as soon as he wakes up.

Predictably, he is hungover and stupid. Kyungsoo likes him like that, but he would never say it out loud. 

“Please save me,” he drawls. “Please. Spare me.” 

“There’s water and Advil on the bedside table,” Kyungsoo says, whirling around the room as he packs up, cleans up. “I ordered you food already.” 

“Eggs?” Baekhyun asks, raising himself up in bed so he can suck down the water and the medication. 

“Omelet.” 

“Ham and cheese and peppers?” 

“Ham and cheese and peppers,” Kyungsoo confirms. 

Baekhyun flops back down into bed happily, hair a riotous mess. Kyungsoo allows himself a couple seconds to stare. He’s certainly not stupid. Baekhyun is popular for more reasons than one, but if people saw him like this… _Jesus H. Christ._

“We didn’t do it last night,” Baekhyun says. “Fuck.” 

“I know, and after all that big talk about condoms and poppers,” Kyungsoo says, shaking his head as he folds up a t-shirt. “Unbelievable.” 

Baekhyun groans. “You should have woken me up.” 

“You were piss-drunk.” 

“I can fuck,” Baekhyun says. 

“I know.” 

“No, I can _fuck_ ,” Baekhyun assures him. 

“I know, I know. Show me you can brush your teeth too.” 

Baekhyun vaults out of bed, and he heads to the ensuite. Kyungsoo hears the faucet turn on and then off and then on again and then off again. He emerges looking much more refreshed, stretching into the air, scratching at his scalp with a yawn.

“You were so right about brushing your teeth, by the way,” Baekhyun says. “The most sobering thing in the world.” 

“I am a sage,” Kyungsoo says. “Bow at the altar of my wisdom.” 

“Hate you.” 

“Love you,” Kyungsoo says with a smile. “Now hurry up and pack. We gotta get downstairs in twenty.”  
  


♂

Baekhyun has a big show coming up, the biggest show of his life, and he’s nervous. Kyungsoo can tell even though Baekhyun does his absolute best to hide it from everyone. He is his normal self, goofing off and everything, but he runs through his warm-ups multiple times, he taps his fingers nervously, and he runs his hands through his hair as he laughs at a joke one of the sound guys makes.

Another major tell, of course, is when he holes up in their next hotel room and demands to watch _Purple Rain_. Kyungsoo obliges him, both because it is much easier than most of his normal requests and because he also likes Prince. 

“You should do something like this,” Kyungsoo suggests. 

“Shut up,” Baekhyun says. “Don’t be derivative.” 

“Isn’t all art derivative?” 

Baekhyun turns, narrowing his eyes. _Darling Nikki_ is playing in the background. “You know about art now?” 

“I know some.” 

Baekhyun looks back to the television set. “You don’t know anything.” 

“It’ll be okay,” Kyungsoo assures him. 

Baekhyun doesn’t say anything, and they finish the rest of the movie in silence. By the end of it, he is leaning against Kyungsoo, head on Kyungsoo’s shoulder. It is a very lovely moment, one that Kyungsoo doesn’t want to ruin. It lasts long enough that Kyungsoo thinks Baekhyun might have fallen asleep, so he grabs the remote, clicks off the television. That is when Baekhyun shifts, and Kyungsoo sucks in a breath. He thought he was alone. 

“How do you know?” Baekhyun whispers. 

And when Baekhyun looks into Kyungsoo’s eyes, _that’s _one thing Kyungsoo’s never seen written across him, never in as long as he’s known him. They’ve seen everything together, everything, but never such raw… fear.__

__“I just know.”_ _

__“You can’t just know,” Baekhyun says. “What if… what if it’s a bad show? What if I screw up? What if they hate me?”_ _

__“They love you,” Kyungsoo says._ _

__“What if they change their mind?”_ _

__“They might,” Kyungsoo says, “but that won’t change you, will it?”_ _

__“No, but—”_ _

__“Then that’s all you need to know,” Kyungsoo reminds him. “No one will ever change who you are.”_ _

__“You have,” Baekhyun says, and Kyungsoo is stunned silent by those words, spoken so easily. “You’ve changed me.”_ _

__“No,” Kyungsoo says._ _

__“Yeah.”_ _

__“Don’t argue with me,” Kyungsoo says, and Baekhyun sits up straighter, mouth so close to Kyungsoo’s. Like they’re sharing breath. “I’m your manager.”_ _

__“This relationship is doomed,” Baekhyun whispers. “Power imbalance.”_ _

__Baekhyun kisses him easily, their backs against the headboard, sitting in the black of midnight. Kyungsoo kisses him back, just as easy, just as careless._ _

__“You make me feel better,” Baekhyun says quietly. “You make me feel like it’s all gonna be okay… even if they think it’s sacrilege that I wear a cross.”_ _

__“It is sacrilege that you wear a cross,” Kyungsoo smiles, and Baekhyun laughs against his lips. “Especially when you lick it.”_ _

__“It’s for _effect_ ,” Baekhyun stresses. “It’s _art_.” _ _

__Kyungsoo kisses him until his mouth hurts, until he can feel everything transferring between them. Baekhyun was right, he doesn’t know much about art, but he knows that Baekhyun is the best at what he does and that as long as he stays true to himself, he’ll never be led astray.  
  
_ _

♂

Kyungsoo usually waits in Baekhyun’s dressing room, but his heart is pounding in his chest as the show streaks forward. He hears Baekhyun’s voice, pretty and loud and _perfect_ , and he can’t help himself. He steps into the wings just for a glimpse, just for a little look, but when he sees Baekhyun, sees him holding the rhinestone microphone in a clenched fist like he’s worried someone might try and take it away from him, sees his veins pulsing in his neck as he sings with passion, heart, soul… Kyungsoo cannot look away. He could never look away.

He is painted in gold and glitter, and he shines under orange and pink stage lights. The crowd roars as he pulls open his jacket with one hand. There is nothing underneath, nothing but flesh and bone, a chain around his neck. He is clean. So clean. 

Baekhyun falls to his knees on the stage, and the people scream his name. He looks up to the rafters, holds his hand out to them like he wants to touch them. And he does, Kyungsoo thinks. He does want to. He wants to touch each and every one of them. Wants to affect them and _be_ affected. He has so much love to share, and he is a miracle. He is miraculous.  
  


♂

Kyungsoo is waiting in the dressing room when Baekhyun bursts in, chest heaving. He looks every bit a rock star, a pop star, an icon, a name to be screamed. His face paint is running down his neck, his hair is ruffled, and his eyes… his _eyes_.

“Baby,” Baekhyun says, holding his arms out like _Well?_ , voice so silly and vulnerable. His eyes well with tears, and his voice cracks. “How’d I do?” 

Kyungsoo goes to him, and he presses a kiss to his lips. He holds him carefully, kissing him slowly. No one knows about them, and he doesn’t know that anyone ever will, but… 

“Let’s get back to the hotel, okay?” Kyungsoo suggests. “We gotta get you cleaned up.” 

Baekhyun bites his lip, nods.  
  


♂

The paint and glitter washes away down the drain, and Kyungsoo watches it go, a wave swirling there at their feet. When he looks back up into Baekhyun’s eyes, he is so new. It’s not that he’s a different person when he’s on stage, but he still manages to look like a god amongst men when all the lights are on him, when he’s all done up. He really lives up to his name, his epithets.

Here, though, in the dim light of the hotel bathroom, amid the pitter-patter of the shower, wrapped in Kyungsoo’s arms, hair wet and falling into his face… he is everything. The love of Kyungsoo’s life and so much more. 

“You really think I did well?” Baekhyun asks. “Because I felt like during _Here They Come_ , I could have given it a little more—” 

Kyungsoo has very little time for Baekhyun’s neurotic attention to detail, his perfectionism at the moment. He pushes Baekhyun against the plastic tile wall, and he kisses Baekhyun hard, one hand on the back of his neck, the other on his hip. He grinds their bodies together, swallowing Baekhyun’s answering moan. 

Baekhyun comes to hold him by the small of his back, and the water glides over them, warms them inside and out. Kyungsoo licks into Baekhyun’s mouth, chases away all thoughts of everything else. He just performed a sold-out show to fifty thousand. He has conquered the world. And he’s holding Kyungsoo’s hand. 

“Soo,” Baekhyun whispers, and he kisses the lobe of Kyungsoo’s ear as Kyungsoo kisses down his neck. “ _F-Fuck_.” 

“You did well,” Kyungsoo reminds him. “Everything you do is good.” 

“That’s not true,” Baekhyun says, and he twists his hips against Kyungsoo’s, rapidly hardening between them. He breathes out, shaky and weak. “Don’t say stuff like that. It makes me think you can’t be unbiased.” 

“I can’t be,” Kyungsoo says, and he draws back, looking into Baekhyun’s eyes. “Why would I want to be? You’re… well, you’re _you_.” 

Baekhyun smiles, beautiful and good, before launching himself forward, arms around Kyungsoo’s neck. Their love is ravenous and full of passion, something like what Baekhyun puts on stage for everyone to see.

They navigate back to the bed at some point, though Kyungsoo can’t say when. He loses track of time when it comes to Baekhyun.  
  


♂

**Author's Note:**

> not very plot heavy, not really anything heavy, just some good ol fashioned nothing courtesy of me..... !!! hope you are taking care of yourselves and being well.


End file.
